Tricycles in the Philippines: Aklan's Version

This is the fourth installment of the Around the Philippines travel blog's Tricycles in the Philippines series. The first installment was about tricycles in Tagbilaran City, the second was about tricycles in Bantayan Island, and the third was about tricycles in Siquijor.

Front row of a tricycle in Aklan

Tricycles in Aklan

During my recent visit at Boracay Island in early February 2016, I have seen another unique tricycle design in this part of the Philippines. I first saw it upon arrival in Kalibo, the capital town of Aklan province in the Western Visayas Region. As we travelled from Kalibo to the world-famous Boracay island, I noticed that the tricycle design I saw in Kalibo is the same across the province including that in Boracay Island. Boracay Island, however has two (2) tricycle designs: the traditional tricycle design that I saw in Kalibo and the newer electric tricycles.

Right side view of a tricycle in Aklan

So what's unique about the tricycle design in Aklan? Take a look at the photos in this feature to differentiate from the tricycle designs we posted previously on this blog (Tagbilaran City in Bohol Province, Bantayan Island in Cebu Province, and Siquijor Province).

Rear view of a tricycle in Aklan

The passenger cab of the tricycles in Aklan can accommodate seven (7) people with two (2) regular seats and an extension seat in front and up to four (4) seats in the back. Passengers in front face the direction where the tricycle is traveling while passengers in the back sit facing the center like that in a jeepney. One (1) or two (2) more passengers can ride shotgun with the driver on the motorcycle backseat. At most, the tricycle can carry a total of ten (10) people with nine (9) passengers and the tricycle driver. The backrest for the cab's front row passengers is so low and can probably only support the lower back of an average sized adult passenger and not the entire back. The roof on the motorcycle is slightly elevated compared to that of the cab's roof, although these are connected. I assume that cargoes are placed on top of the passenger cab's wide roof space.